The victim, who remained in critical condition in the intensive care unit at a hospital, confronted Kenneth James Tofaeono, 18, shortly before noon Thursday when he spotted him standing on the west side of Hawthorne Boulevard in the Islands restaurant parking lot near the South Bay Galleria.

The victim, whose name was not released, was riding along Hawthorne Boulevard in a car with friends, Redondo Beach police Sgt. Shawn Freeman said. The victim told his friends that Tofaeono had taken his phone sometime during the past month. They stopped and he walked over to confront Tofaeono.

An argument ignited and escalated into a fight. One man got knocked down and ran to the median on Hawthorne Boulevard. The other followed.

Tofaeono is suspected of stabbing the victim multiple times in the body.

“The victim who got stabbed was trying to get back his cellphone,” Freeman said.

Police officers arrived to find a witness restraining Tofaeono, who was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. He was held on $500,000 bail.

The victim, whose injuries were considered life-threatening, underwent surgery. Freeman said detectives were not able to interview him because of his medical status.

Detectives were working on their case Friday and planned to submit their reports to the District Attorney’s Office next week.